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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey trailer

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The first trailer has been released for the highly anticipated Peter Jackson film The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

Set 60 years before the events of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the adventure follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug.

Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakenshield.

Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers.

Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain, first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever - Gollum.

Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities. A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is directed by Sir Peter Jackson and stars Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins, Sir Ian McKellen as Gandalf, Andy Serkis as Gollum, Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield, Evangeline Lilly as Tauriel, Stephen Fry as Master of Laketown, Lee Pace as King Thranduil, Cate Blanchett as Galadriel, Luke Evans as Bard and Benedict Cumberbatch as the voice of Smaug.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is set for a New Zealand release of December 13, 2012.